This document discusses ways for teachers to distinguish themselves and achieve a "distinguished" level of performance. It provides examples of practices common to distinguished teachers, such as individualized instruction, student choice, adjustment and reflection, structured collaboration, and student influence over outcomes. Specific ideas are presented, such as having students create screencasts, focusing on a culture of creation rather than just completion, developing digital portfolios, creating documentaries, and assessing a small percentage of student work for mistakes rather than everything. Developing peer reliance and starting with identifying the why of projects are also recommended practices.

1. Distinguish
Yourself
Jon Orech
Instructional Technology Coordinator
Downers Grove South High School
jorech@csd99.org Twitter: @jorech

4. WHAT IS THE
DIFFERENCE
BETWEEN HOW
THE TWO KIDS
USE TECHNOLOGY?

5. Technology is
the vehicle…
Not the
destination.

6. When Using
Technology:

7. Support a Fundamental Literacy

8. Extend the
Learning

9. Tied to Sound Pedagogy

11. Purpose?
http://www.danielsongroup.org

12. Domain 1
Planning and
Preparation

13. Domain 2
Classroom Environment

14. Domain 3
Instruction

15. Domain 4
Professional
Responsibilities

16. Levels of Performance
Levels

17. Unsatisfactory

18. Beginning

19. Proficient

21. Distingui
shed

22. What makes a teacher
“Distinguished”?

23. Common Threads
• Individualized instruction
• Student choice
• Adjustment/ reflection
• Structured collaboration
• Accessible learning
• Student responsibility
• Student influence on outcomes.

25. Idea 1:

28. Student-Created Screencast

29. Idea 2:
Instead of a
“Culture of
Completion”…

30. A Culture of Creation

32. Digital
Photography
Portfolio
Michelle Lynn,
Instructor

34. Digital Documentary

35. Assessment:
“80% or what
my kids do
are mistakes.
I assess
the other 20%.”
Mark Mueller,
Applied Tech Teacher

36. Idea 3:
Authentic Audience and purpose
Have students create for an
Authentic Audience and Purpose

37. Retirement Home Resident Introductions

39. Idea 4:
Develop Peer
Reliance

50. Instead of starting with “How?” or “What?”…
Start with “Why?”